Vacuum-cleaner.



J. M. WINTER.

VACUUM CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 5. 1914.

M w m y w m N M m h w J a j. 4 I W V 6 4 1 VACUUM-CLEANER,

1,146,514tll;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 13, 19115 Application filed. March 5, 1914, Serial No.822,625.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN M. WINTER, a citizenof the United States, residing at Reading, in the county of Berks andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Vacuum- Cleaners, of which the following is a speciiication.

' My invention relates particularly to manually actuated vacuum cleanersand is especially directed to that class of such devices in which theentire mechanism is embodied in a unitary structure and carried by theoperator while in operation.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a portable vacuumcleaner which will be simple in construction, efficient in itsoperation, light in weight and which may be operated with the greatestease.

My invention comprehends a vacuum cleaner having its actuating membersso correlated as to be operated by the contemporaneous relative movementof the hands of the operator in relatively opposite directions.

Specifically stated, my invention comprises a vacuum cleaner having aframe carrying a pivoted lever which is provided with a crossheadslidably mounted thereon and pivotally connected with the plunger rod ofthe vacuum producing member, said frame and lever being provided attheir free end with suitable handles which may be grasped by theoperator and caused to be thrust toward each other and draw apart'alternatively. a

My invention also includes all of the various novel features ofconstruction and arrangement of the operatin parts as hereinafter moredefinitely speci ed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinalsectional view, taken axially through the cylinder of the machine, thesuction nozzle and operating mechanism being shown in elevation forconvenience of illustration and Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional viewtaken on the line 22 in F lg. 1 but showing the operating lever asshifted to a position normal to the axis of the plunger and parallelwith the plane of the section. a

In said figures the cylinder?) is provided with a transversely extendeddiaphragm 4 to form a vacuum chamber 5 and a receiving chamber 6, saidvacuum chamber being closed by the upper end cap 7Wl1icl1 is secured insealed relation with the walls of said cylinder to form an air tightcompartment.

The receiving chamber 6 1s arranged to be a closed by the removable cap8 having the inwardly projecting cylindrical-rim 9 fitted in telescopicrelation with the lower. end of the cylinder 3, and being retainedtherein by the rigidly disposed hasp 10, projecting from one side ofsaid cylinder, and into the eye of which the lug 11 on the cap 8 may beentered, the other side of said cap being held by the spring clasp 12.

The cap 8 carries the inlet tube 13, terminating within the receivingchamber 6 and carrying at its lower end the suction nozzle 15. Said cap8 is also provided with the inwardly projecting rim 16 having the bend17 near its free edge for supporting and retaining the strainer bag 18which maybe formed of any suitable reticulated material,

preferably of woven fabric, for arresting any solid particles that maybeheld in suspension in the air which is drawn through the suctionnozzle 15.

The diaphragm 4c is slidably fitted in the cylinder 3, having theperipheral packing 19 to prevent leakage of air into the vacuum chamber5, and a handle 20 by which it may be removed and replaced when accessis desired to said vacuum chamber. Said diaphragm may be convenientlyretained in position by screws 22 extended therein through the cylinderwall.

The cylinder 3 is provided upon diametrically opposite sides withlongitudinally extended semi-cylindrical valve casings 25 and 26formingsuitable passageways for conveying air into the vacuum chamber 5 anddischarging it therefrom. The passageway in the valve casing 25 isconnected with the chamber 6 by the port 27, and with the vacuum chamber5 by the ports 28 and 29, while the passageway formed by the valvecasing 26 is connected with the vacuum chamber 5 by the ports 30 and 31,and with the atmosphere through the exhaust outlet 32.

The ports 28 and 29 are controlled by flap valves each comprising aforaminous diaphragm 35, over the holes of which is stretched a looselyextended flap 36 of leather or other flexible material preferablysecured at both ends and free to be drawn from the diaphragm toward saidports 28 and 29 as shown at the port 28.

The ports 30 and 31 are controlled by flap valves each comprising aforaminous diaphragm 37 over the holes of which is stretched a flap 39similar to the flap 36 but disposed exterior to the diaphragm 37 andarranged to be extended therefrom as best shown in connection with theport 30 gvhegi pressure is created within the cham- Mounted in thechamber 5 and tending to produce a partial vacuum therein whenreciprocated, is the piston 40, having the packing ring 41 preferablyformed of wear resisting material such as leather, backed by a band 42,of rubber or the like. Said piston is connected by the wing nut 43 withthe piston rod pr plunger 4 5. which extends through the stufiing-box 44and is connected at its upper end by the wrist-pin 46 with thecross-head comprising the spaced blocks 47 respectively mou'nted toslide upon the parallel arms of the operating lever 50 by which saidcrosshead is carried.

The lever 50 is formed of a single piece of wire of suitable gage, bentto carry the handle 51 and having its ends brought together andconnected by the pivot pin 52 to the laterally extended return bend 55of the longitudinally extended frame or bail 56 which is similarlyformed of a single piece of wire carrying the handle 57 and having itsdiverging side members terminating in suitable anchorages 59 and 60 inthe upper ends of the valve casings 25 and 26 respectively. Said leveris provided with the brace 61-connecting its parallel arms.

In order to maintain the piston rod 45 in a rectilineal path suitableguides 62 and 63 are provided which extend parallel with 7 said pistonrod and straddle the stufiingbox 44, having their lower ends secured tothe upper cap 7, and their upper ends extended outwardly andrespectively connected with the diverging members of the bail 56adjacent to the handle 57.

It will be noted that as the angular relation of the lever 50 withrespect to the guides 62 and 63 increases, the natural tendency of thepiston would be to more closely hug the guideand thereby produceadditional friction, this may be avoided by the pin or roller 69 which,being extended between the blocks 47, above and parallel with thewristpin 46, engages the guide and holds the piston inits true axialposition as best shown in Fig. 1.

My invention is especially advantageous in that by the arrangement ofthe operative parts the handles 51 and 57 are contemporaneously movedeither in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 1 or in thedirection opposite thereto, whereby both hands essential features of myinvention as de' fined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim 1. The combination with avacuum producing mechanism involving a fixed part of a frame arrangedbeyond the vacuum producing mechanism and including spaced bars securedto the fixed part of the mechanism and terminating beyond the same in ahandle portion, one of said bars being laterally ofi-set, guide barsarranged between said spaced bars and projected in spaced parallelrelation to each other, the guide bars being connected at one end to thefixed part of the mechanism and at the opposite end 'to the handleportion. a movable element connected to the off-set and slidablyembracing the guide bars and a connection between said element and themovable part of the vacuum producing mechanism.

2. The combination with a vacuum producing mechanism involving a fixedpart of a frame arranged beyond the vacuum producing mechanism andincluding spaced bars secured to the fixed part of the mechanism andterminating beyond the same in a handle portion, one of said bars beinglaterally off-set, guide bars arranged between said spaced barsand'projected in spaced parallel relation to each other, the guide barsbeing connected at one end to the fixed part of the mechanism, and atthe opposite end to the handle portion, a lever pivotally connected tothe ofi-set and embracing the guide bars, a connection slidablycarriedby the lever and slidably cooperating with the guide bars and arod extending from said connection to the movable member of the vacuumproducing mechanism. v

JOHN M. WINTER.

Witnesses:

ED. A. KELLY, CLARA E. YOUNG.

